Monday, September 3, 2012

To Mutz From Poncho

There have been so many stories saved from the records of
Agnes Tully Stevens’ family because one couple made sure to pass those stories
along. You’ve already met one part of that couple when I explained about William
and Agnes’ son Ed. Uncle Ed was the one who, when we’d come visiting in
Chicago, would sit down with me at the kitchen table, spreading out the papers
and books he’d assembled to verify the stories he’d pass along.

After we lost Uncle Ed, someone else took his place in
sharing this heritage with me: his wife. Ever since that point in 2005, she has
been the one providing me with further inspiration through the family papers
she passes along—and by sharing many a story connected with these keepsakes.

Today marks a very special day, for it is this Aunt’s ninetieth
birthday. To commemorate this celebration, I couldn’t resist pulling out an old
birthday card she’ll remember from many years ago. To start with, it’s addressed:

Mos ver bes goil siser
in law I gotz.

Like Frank—who, as we’ve
seen yesterday, is prone to reappear without a moment’s notice—his alter-ego
Poncho has shown up just in time for the occasion.

Happy Bir-r-thday!

If ye don’t like this
car-rd with this here special birthday rhyme—return it to me quick—

So’s I can go get back
my dime!

Mutz:

You said to get you
something I’d “Know” you didn’t kneed — thus – this token of my esteem

3 comments:

It's always such a blessing to have someone in the family that keeps and passes down the family history. We receive unique insight from such treasures, so you are truly fortunate. Those things provide a richness to our knowledge of our ancestors that can not be obtained in any other way. I guess that is my cue to make sure that I pass down what I have and know to others. Thanks for your post.

Oh, yes, it is such a treasure to have all this. Of course, I'm insatiable in that I always want more...

Good point about remembering to take our place in the sequence of history and preserve what we can to pass along to future generations. Easier said than done, for which I wholeheartedly salute those who are doing so.

About Me

It is my contention that, after a lifetime, one of the greatest needs people have is to be remembered. They want to know: have I made a difference?
I write because I can't keep for myself the gifts others have entrusted to me. Through what I've already been given--though not forgetting those to whom I must pass this along--from family I receive my heritage; through family I leave a legacy. With family I weave a tapestry. These are my strands.